


Reason to Stay

by STARSdidathing



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Loki & Tony Stark Friendship, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, M/M, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Oblivious Tony Stark, Post-Avengers (2012), Prompt Fill, Tony Feels, Tricksters, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 07:26:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17402588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARSdidathing/pseuds/STARSdidathing
Summary: Loki's been living and "repenting" at Avengers tower for a year, and in that time Tony has grown to like him. He considers them friends. The last thing he expects is for Thor to suddenly announce Loki is returning to Asgard.





	Reason to Stay

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sephira](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sephira/gifts).



> This story was prompted by the lovely **sephira**. I won't say the specifics of the prompt as it would give away the plot, but I hope you all like it! Especially you, sephira! :) ♥

Loki had been with the Avengers for a year. He assisted them with threats and anything magic related. 

Tony hadn’t paid much attention when he was first dropped down with them. He knew that Loki’s adopted asshole father had kicked the mage down to Earth to repent. Tony had been irritated that his planet (and his _tower_ ) was used as a dumping ground for wayward demi-gods. 

He’d also been suspicious and distrustful of Loki, but as the weeks passed and Loki proved himself to be intelligent, useful and _funny_ , Tony started to relax. He even started to _like_ Loki, helped in part by knowing how Loki had ended up on Earth with the glow stick of destiny.

Tony knew a few things about lying to the people who were holding your life in their violent, merciless hands. Loki’s plans had involved a bit more collateral damage than Tony’s, but he was still willing to extend the mage a second chance.

It was working out for everyone so far. Loki was, frankly, a great member of the team. He was an _asset_ and Tony considered him a friend.

It was why he was startled to learn Loki was _leaving_.

He’d been sitting down at the communal breakfast bar, drinking a coffee and signing contracts for Pepper. She’d shown up with a small mountain of paperwork and demanded his presence. She was currently having a cup of tea with Bruce and Natasha while he worked. 

Tony was sure his signature was barely legible but she should know better than to wake him up before he was ready. They might not be dating anymore, but it was just common sense to check with JARVIS first. He’d stayed up late last night with Loki working in the lab. He shouldn’t be poking his head out of bed until long past noon.

He was only halfway through the stack when Thor and Loki stepped into the room. Tony flicked a glance their way and scowled at Loki’s pristine appearance and handsome features. He didn’t look the slightest bit tired.

He did, however, look a little... off.

“Friends!” Thor greeted with a booming voice. “What fortune to catch you all together. Loki has insisted on no formal gathering-”

“I would rather not see my departure celebrated,” Loki muttered.

Tony frowned. “Departure?”

Loki looked back at him, his expression carefully blank. “My contract with Midgard has expired.”

Tony’s heart lurched and he barely kept the reaction from showing. “Contract? What contract?”

“Really, Tony?” Bruce asked, sounding amused. 

Tony turned to look at the other man, his eyes begging for elaboration, but it wasn’t Bruce that provided, it was Natasha. “There was a written agreement between Asgard and SHIELD. Loki spends a year helping Earth, and then he goes back to Asgard.”

Tony was stunned. He was completely floored. _How the hell did he not know about that?_

But, it wasn’t just shock rushing through him there was also regret, horror and a hint of devastation. Loki was leaving? Would he come back? Was he happy to leave? Would he miss it here? Would he... miss Tony?

“It was a pleasure to have you here, Loki.”

Tony was dragged from his thoughts by Pepper. She had stood up and made her way over to Loki. She held out her hand and he smiled faintly and took it. He didn’t shake it; he brought it to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

And Tony felt something almost _jealous_ take hold, and he wasn’t jealous of Loki, he was jealous of _Pepper_.

He gripped his pen tightly, his grip white-knuckled and his palms sweaty. This couldn’t be happening. He needed to wake up. Tony needed to be told Loki wasn’t going anywhere and that this... whatever he was feeling wasn’t becoming a doomed case of _feelings_.

“Thank you, Lady Pepper,” Loki said, lowering her hand and Pepper smiled. 

She made her way over to Tony and collected the documents from him. “You can finish these after Loki’s left.” Pepper told him. She also very gently squeezed his shoulder and lowered her voice. “He might not want a party, but give him a proper goodbye. I know you enjoyed having him here.”

Her words felt like the biggest understatement of the century, but Tony was still struggling to come to terms with it internally, he couldn’t expect Pepper to have caught up with his sudden and alarming realisation.

“Ah, do not worry, Stark, Lady Pepper,” Thor said. “Loki has decided he will leave this morning. Stark may finish his-”

“What do you mean _this morning?_ ” Tony demanded. Pushing up from his seat and turning towards the two demi-gods. His heart was pounding. “The hell, Loki?” He scrambled for something to say. “We have experiments and projects in the lab! You can’t just-”

“I have given JARVIS the information I deem necessary for you to complete them,” Loki stated, watching him carefully. “You will have no need for me to be present.”

“Mr Liesmith assures me your work will not suffer due to his absence, Sir,” JARVIS informed him promptly.

Tony scrambled for something else to say. “But, but, what about magical threats!” He gestured vaguely at Bruce and Natasha. “How are we going to-”

“Loki was on a contract, Stark,” Natasha stated blandly. “He has no obligation or reason to stay here anymore. We’ll have to work without him. We’ve approached Stephen Strange.”

Tony wrinkled his nose with distaste. Replace Loki with Stephen Strange? _Like hell_.

“No. No, fuck that. I don’t want that asshole walking around my tower.”

Natasha raised her eyebrows. “Do you see a better solution, Stark?”

Yes, yes he did. A very good, important and _necessary_ solution which found him walking over and standing in front of Loki.

The mage was watching him with unreadable green eyes and blank features. Tony’s heart was pounding and he could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on him. Tony didn’t care.

“Make a new contract,” Tony stated firmly. He was already drafting one in his head; all the things he could offer (or have others offer) that would appeal to Loki and make him _stay_. 

He didn’t expect Loki to shake his head in outright refusal. “I do not want to be beholden to a contract.”

“Then stay anyway.”

The words were out of his mouth before Tony could think, but he didn’t want to take them back.

“Why would I do that?” Loki asked, holding Tony’s gaze. Tony opened his mouth, planning to list a hundred reasons, but Loki cut him off. “Don’t offer me incentives. Tell me _why_ I should stay,”

Tony opened his mouth, but the words died on his tongue.

_I want you to stay. I don’t want you to go. Stay with **me**._

He closed his mouth as a hundred insecurities flooded his mind; a million reasons why those statements wouldn’t be enough.

Why would Loki stick around for _him_? Tony might have realised what he felt, might have worked out he wanted something _more_ , but what were the odds that Loki felt the same?

Slim to fucking none.

It made him glance away, hesitate, and try to find something else to say, but there was nothing left. No other response he could give.

But before he could slump and admit as much, he felt a soft touch to his wrist. It made him jerk his attention to Loki, finding the mage watching him with surprising softness.

“Tell me why I should stay, Anthony,” Loki repeated.

It felt like permission and request all in one, and Tony found himself whispering, “I don’t want you to go.” He swallowed and the rest was flowing out; “I want you to stay here - with us, with... with _me_.” He shifted his hand so his fingers could brush the inside of Loki’s palm. “Stay?”

Loki quirked a small smile. “Only you could make that so difficult.”

Tony frowned, feeling confused, but he was distracted by Loki bending down and brushing their mouths together. It was a chaste kiss, so fast he almost didn’t feel it, but Tony leant forward anyway, rocking towards Loki and only wanting more. 

Loki chuckled and the sound made Tony open his eyes. Loki was smiling and his hand came up to cup Tony’s cheek. The soft, affectionate gesture made Tony’s heart leap with hope.

“You’ll stay?” He asked, giddy with the possibility.

His question had Loki’s expression shifting and becoming wry and beneath that, faintly apologetic. “I am afraid I have not been entirely honest with you, Anthony.”

Tony frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I have tried for some months to capture your attention and express my interest. I found I was unable to succeed. Your artificial servant made a suggestion of... _shocking_ affection out of you. My brother and your friends agreed and willingly played along.”

Tony blinked rapidly and pulled his face away from Loki’s touch to glance around the room. Thor was beaming, Bruce was smiling sheepishly, Natasha had disappeared and Pepper looked proud and happy.

Turning back to Loki, he stared at the mage, feeling a mixture of disbelief, frustration and embarrassment. “You tricked me.”

Loki nodded solemnly. “I did.” He cupped Tony’s cheek again; careful to make sure he wouldn’t be rebuffed. “But I am also in love with you. I hope that will be a worthy compensation?”

Tony sucked in a sharp breath. “You love me?”

“I do,” Loki admitted without a moment’s hesitation. “And I would stay on your world indefinitely if it was to spend more time with you.”

Tony swallowed and his heart pounded. His stomach also twisted in the most pleasant of ways. He knew he shouldn’t let Loki get away with the trick so easily; but Loki was a trickster god and his only goal had been to make Tony realise his feelings.

Maybe, he could let this one go.

And, to further confirm that decision, Tony tilted up his chin and let their lips connect again in a second kiss. He might not be ready to say ‘ _I love you too_ ’ but that didn’t mean Tony couldn’t say something just as important.

 _Stay with me_ and _I forgive you_. 

The way that Loki smiled into the kiss, Tony knew that the other man had heard both statements loud and clear, and that he wasn’t going anywhere.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all liked the surprise twist! All courtesy of sephira's prompt :)
> 
> I was worried people might say Tony took the trick "too lightly". But it wasn't malicious it was just Loki being impatient with Tony's obliviousness and yelling "WORK THINGS OUT FASTER, DAMN IT." So I think Tony will let it slide, after all, he got Loki out of it ;)
> 
> But either way, I was uncertain, so I had **NamelesslyNightlock** look over it and they said it was fine. (And they checked out the tags and summary and really, thank you so much, you're a godsend ♥ ) I hope you all enjoy how I penned it :)
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> p.s. I also have another "Loki leaving at the end of his contract" fic I need to post. Wrote it before this, in fact. Hopefully you will like that one too ;)


End file.
